Transboundary river basins cover 62 percent of Africa's total area and, with the exception of island states, every African country has at least one international river in its territory.
... See More + Thus, transboundary water governance in Africa is central to any national or regional water strategy and any economic, poverty reduction, and environmental strategy. Despite the potential payoff from water cooperation, forging meaningful agreements for shared water management faces numerous challenges. Impediments to negotiated cooperation include differences in up- and downstream views on water rights and histories of water use; negotiating philosophies focused on the belief that water is a zero-sum game; geographic and political power differentials that conflict with basin-wide solutions; and uncertainty over basic water resources data that increase the perceived risks of cooperation. For cooperation to occur, riparian states, other stakeholders, and the facilitators of negotiation must be aware of the possible benefits of cooperation, whether benefit distribution will be shared, and what pathways are most likely to overcome potential barriers to negotiation. Economic theory and empirical analysis can play a productive role in providing the necessary information. This paper provides a review of the challenges to transboundary water cooperation, pathways for overcoming those challenges, and the role of economics in facilitating the discovery of those pathways. While it is written to focus on African transboundary waters, the report draws from broader transboundary water literature. Appendices include case studies on both game theory and hydro-economic analysis in transboundary cooperation for several river basins, including some from Africa. The limited studies that have quantified the gains from cooperation or costs of noncooperation show that the potential benefits are substantial. Recognizing the potential gains and costs for all parties provides a motivation for cooperation. The likelihood of cooperation around river basins is minimal if cooperation does not benefit the respective actors involved. In the final analysis, cooperation should be voluntary based on the self-interest of riparian states.
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Cooperation in International waters in Africa (CIWA) assists riparian governments in Sub-Saharan Africa in addressing constraints to cooperative water resources management and development, with the goal of unlocking the potential for sustainable, climate-resilient growth.
... See More + By supporting countries to work together to share information, strengthen institutions, and advance sustainable investments, CIWA enables countries to use their transboundary water resources productively and equitably, protect people and property from water-related shocks, and ensure sustainability of the resource base. A cooperative approach to managing shared risks and equitably sharing socio-economic benefits presents countries with opportunities to reduce resource-related conflict and strengthen regional integration, all of which contribute to sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, and resilience to climate change. CIWA balances support for institutional development and information systems with assistance to helps riparian governments improve the quality of investments in four key basins: the Nile,Zambezi, Niger, and Volta. CIWA responds to demand for knowledge management and technical assistance. Several CIWA-funded analyses concludedin FY15, including the Political Economy Analysis (PEA) and the Economic Rationale for Cooperation in Transboundary Basins in Africa. These analyses inform CIWA activities and create shared understanding that can facilitate cooperative development and management of international waters. In Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16), the CIWA program supported 11 organizations responsible for transboundary water management and development across Africa. The entire portfolio is under implementation, with 32 percent of funds disbursed.CIWA tracks progress toward longterm results by measuring on an interim basis the estimated value of potential investments influenced by CIWA and by identifying potential direct beneficiaries of the relevant investment projects. As project preparation advances and actual financing is mobilized for investments influenced, CIWA results reporting reflects both potential investments and projects where financing has been mobilized.
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